My new HE715 broke down when cutting Crataegus monogyna (3-15 mm
diameter) after only ONE (1) day. Stihl Sweden eventually answered
that there had been defects in the steel used for the crankshafts so
this was not the first machine to break down. Not only had the top
crankshaft snapped off, but when I inspected the knives, several of
them was deformed.

After two weeks they replaced my machine with a completely new HE715.
I used it to cut the last meters of hedge, after using a hand saw to
cut all branches above approx 8 mm in diameter to minimize cutting
resistance. When finished, after 30 min, I inspected the knives and
could see a tendency of identical deformations as the first machine
had -- the edges appear wave-shaped with a couple of compressions on
each knife. I think it has to do with the wave shaped anvil blades in
combination with a very sharp angle on the cutting edges.

Have this happened to anybody else or do you know of anyone having
used a HE715 without problems?

/Dani